


Artificial Intelligence

by xuhei



Category: Monsta X (Band)
Genre: AHH, Boyfriend Simulator, F/M, HELL REALLY, Horror, Multi, one of my faves, youll like it if you like...
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-06
Updated: 2017-07-06
Packaged: 2018-11-28 18:23:15
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 16,266
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11423568
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xuhei/pseuds/xuhei
Summary: “I would do anything for you, baby. Why would I lie to you about there being a way for us to be together?” Changkyun asks. He waits a moment, but seeing you’re not going to answer his more rhetorical of questions he moves closer to you, copying your action from a while ago. The lips that ghost over your own are so kissable. You’d wish to do it now. “Forever.”





	Artificial Intelligence

**Author's Note:**

> my friend on Tumblr gave me this idea because I was a bit stuck. I hope you enjoy it because I was a little out of my comfort zone writing this. I think it turned out okay though!!

_Everybody has someone out there for them._  

Rolling your eyes seemed to be the sanest thing to do as Mimi repeated that same cliché sentence over again. She was determined that she’d be a marriage counsellor of some sorts—not that you discredited her of course. She did have the softest voice around and was currently the only one of your friends in a stable relationship.

But if she told you one more damn time that in a decade you could still be looking for your perfect guy, you might have reminded her why most guys walked past you.  

“But realistically, all boys are overrated,” she finishes this time. Both you and Jiho look up to her at the exact same time with blank expressions. “I mean they all just talk about sports and occasionally pay attention to you but… is it worth it? No.”  

You shake your head at her words as your spoon is dropped straight down on the table which you were sitting at. “You’re telling me that being with Shin Hoseok isn’t worth it?”  

“Oh, god no! I would rather never leave my room than break up with him. I meant other guys mostly. Hoseok is really nice and he cried at the Notebook but don’t tell anyone that, especially Minhyuk.”  

“Noted,” Jiho comments, still paying far more attention to her yoghurt than anything else.  

“I still just kinda… want a boyfriend, ya know?” You mumble. It’s more of a whine to yourself to pick up the pieces of your life and start to move on from celebrity crushes over the years. Many of them still existed but you’d keep them to yourself—deep down in your heart you really did believe there was a chance for you and Joshua Hong to work out. “I want someone who makes me feel less lonely.”  

Jiho groans at your words and makes it very clear that she disagrees. “Boys won’t do that to you. Listen to me, okay? Kihyun’s crush on me is ruining my life. It was cute at first but now he… he makes me feel more lonely than before!”  

“Kihyun just wants you to notice him, Nyang.”  

“Well I noticed him a long time ago and I still don’t want him!” Jiho exclaims with a loud sigh. She rolls her eyes like you had done previously and turns to the side, pulling her phone from her pocket and beginning to text someone who you could put down as the kinda hot guy she’d stumbled across at a party recently.  

You, Mimi and Jiho were like the three different sides of the triangle. All different in so many ways but fitting together perfectly. Whilst Mimi was everything boys needed, Jiho was everything boys wanted and you were… well, what felt like the opposite.  

Your group of friends had consisted of those two since forever, having followed both of them to high school which may have ended up being the least wise decision since being the black sheep was a normal occurrence now. Not that you didn’t like them—they were practically your sisters. It was their friends that didn’t exactly get on best with you.  

It started with Minhyuk, the overly friendly lanky boy who was the sweetest person ever but defended people until the death. He liked you, sure, but he was only friends with you because of Jiho despite her telling you multiple times that he didn’t just follow her around because wanted to seem cooler. Then was Hoseok, the very attractive kid who’d caught Mimi’s eye and managed to woo her into a relationship that was the envy of everyone at your school. Except her, of course. Finally, Jooheon. He was around and he certainly didn’t like school so you mostly saw him when you with Jiho since the two of them both lived at the same house—they were cousins after all.  

Your friends on the other hand, consisted of two boys that maybe Jiho and Mimi didn’t really get on with. There was Kihyun, the boy who practically felt like your brother now despite his weird tendencies and attitude that made you super mad sometimes. Oh, and Hyunwoo, the son of the people who lived next to you who occasionally helped you with your bags and had been your first crush all the way back when you were aged ten and he was fourteen, working on his abs and all.  

The abs that… still exist and are really prominent. Hyunwoo was still probably the hottest guy you knew but something told you the girl he had over every other day was his girlfriend and you weren’t about to fight her and her manicured claws.  

“Look, if you want a boyfriend that bad why don’t you try one of those simulators?” Mimi suggests. She turns away from Jiho and offers you a sweet smile that must have attracted a lot of looks in her direction.  

“Like Mystic Messenger?” You ask her. The memories of that game are now officially burned in your head, and in Jiho’s as it appears. She groans dramatically, shaking her head and wincing at the mention of the game. “I played it through twice just so I could date Jumin. No way am I playing it again.”  

Mimi shakes her head but laughs a touch at your sentence. Just as she flicks her hair over her shoulder, Hoseok, Jooheon and Minhyuk all walk through the doors and head towards your table, probably coming from a lunchtime catch up class for their upcoming Chemistry exams.  

“A girl in my English was talking about this simulator game where it lets you text your boyfriend or whatever,” Jiho says. She barely pays attention as the boys stumble onto the table and continues as if they weren’t there. “I don’t know what happened in the end cause she never mentioned it. Maybe it’s worth giving that a go.”  

“Giving what a go?” Hoseok asks. He gives a sincere smile as an arm goes around Mimi’s shoulders which she doesn’t seem the happiest about.  

Maybe she was right about boys being overrated. She certainly wasn’t too pleased with her own.  

“A simulated boyfriend,” Jiho informs them.  

“If you want a boyfriend why don’t you just ask that friend of yours?” Minhyuk questions. His overly friendly smile only makes you think he’s being sarcastic and you can’t help but feel shy at his words. “Kihyun, is it? Yeah. He seemed nice enough.”  

Mimi sighs as she shakes her head. “Nope. Kihyun has a crush on Jiho after meeting her before hand.”  

“I could set you up with someone I know?” Hoseok suggest afterwards.  

“No it’s o—”  

“That would be great!” Mimi exclaims. She looks directly at you and nods to get you to agree with her. “I think that boy, what’s his name… Taeyang, he’d be good for you! It would be great if you could do that Hoseokie.”  

You nod at her words with the fakest smile which Jiho definitely picks up on but doesn’t come to your rescue either way.  

No, it’s Jooheon who saves your ass this time. “What friends are you gonna be able to set her up with though? They’re all either in a relationship or sworn to celibacy.”

“That’s very true…” Hoseok comments. He looks to you with narrowed eyes as though he’s thinking through his master plan of ruining your life, and it may just be working. “(y/n), how do you feel about dating someone in the year below us who has an ego the size of America but is sweet at heart?”

You frown and shake your head. “Please don’t set me up with that person. Or anyone, at all. I’m fine! If I get a boyfriend now then I’ll be distracted for my exams and it will ruin my chances of doing well in life.”

“She has a point,” Jiho comments.  

“You’re really going to pick the boyfriend simulator over a real boy?” Mimi asks. Curse her and those tactics of a slight pout that made everyone give in to her. This is why Hoseok did anything she said. “That really sucks, but it’s your choice. Have fun with your simulated boyfriend, but don’t come running to me when it goes bottom up!”

 _Please._ You wouldn’t run back to her, though you were sure it wouldn’t mess up for you.  

✿✿✿✿

“Yoo Kihyun?” you call through the store.  _Silence_. He was probably in the back of the store somewhere either on his phone as usual or was sleeping behind the counter. “Yoo Kihyun? Are you around?”

No answer, yet again.  

Maybe it’s because you’re a little on edge with this whole boyfriend simulator  _thing_ , but you feel like there’s eyes on you in the store. A quick glance around shows that in fact no one is looking at you, and it’s just your imagination - for now you’d just focus on finding this game and taking it home with you to see what all of this fuss was about.  

Maybe a virtual boyfriend wasn’t  _that_ bad. It would be something new, but not necessarily bad.

“Hey, sorry,” Kihyun calls from around the corner. You count to two in your head and he’s running out from the back room, phone in hand and hair slightly messy, though when he sees you he groans and stops running. “Oh, it’s you.”

“What do you mean,  _oh it’s you_ , fuck off Yoo Kihyun.”

He ignores your statement and continues to approach you, sorting out his hair. “Why are you here?”

“Nope, I told you to fuck off,” you repeat. There’s a pause between your words as you look up to Kihyun and scowl at him. “When did I stop becoming an important customer?”

Kihyun scowls right back at you. Curse his attitude. “Well, most of the time that you come here you just bring me take out food and sit behind the counter with me. You’re not a customer at all, babe.”

“Don’t babe me.”

“I’ll babe whoever I want to babe!” Kihyun returns.  

See, the thing about your friendship was that it was a bit of a mess. You two seemed like you were made to hate each other but realistically, he was just like your brother and you were his sister. Metaphorically. There was no way in  _hell_ you’d be spending more than the occasional night at his house because actually, Yoo Kihyun was a great cook.  

“Look, I actually came here to buy something so can you just serve me already?” you ask. Kihyun and his great people skills must be able to pick up on the fact you’re deadly serious. Just like you were when you told him that your school friends weren’t all that fond of him.  

Despite the seriousness in your voice, he still frowns. “You want to buy a video game? Are you having a laugh?”

“I don’t want to buy a  _video game_ of the sorts,” you tell him, “you see, I was recommended at school that I buy a boyfriend simulator. Apparently they’re great for tackling loneliness. Since you can’t subside your crush on Jiho I have to seek comfort from someone else.”

Kihyun looks you dead in the eyes. “I don’t have a crush on her.”

Okay, he might have been telling the truth. Kihyun expressed his feelings in the strangest of ways and often would trip over his words when just talking averagely to people. Even when you’d introduced him to Hoseok it took a lot of effort for him to just say  _hello_.  

But Hoseok was damn attractive so he might just get a pass on that one. The boy made everyone stumble over their own words and often most people avoiding ever looking at him in case they turned to stone. How did Mimi do it?

Nonetheless, he was probably crushing on Jiho despite his protests. She was slightly annoying, he was slightly annoying - they were a perfect pair in anyone’s eyes and that’s what it came down to. He was overly friendly around her so it really did make people believe he had a crush on her, despite the fact they’ve only met… thrice.  

“Is that really all you picked up on?”

“Oh, the boyfriend simulator thing too,” Kihyun says half-heartedly. “Look, you choose what you wanna do in the world and I won’t stop you from getting an internet boyfriend or whatever, talking to a computer, I don’t know. But I didn’t think you were that lame.”

That was the honest that you really needed to hear from Jiho earlier, too. It still makes you frown. “I’m not lame! I’m just… There’s no one at school that likes me, I wanna have a boyfriend, okay? Let me live. I wanna be able to experience a boyfriend.”

There’s a groan from Kihyun’s throat as he reaches out for your hand, pulling at you so he can drag you into another aisle in the shop which probably has exactly what you’re looking for. To give him some credit for what he did, Kihyun knew this store inside out so you had no troubles with him looking for something for you.  

“We have  _one_  of these simulator things,” Kihyun tells you. He pulls out a rather old looking box that reminds you of his Xbox games, blowing at it so the dust that has  _somehow_ collected all over it can be removed. “It’s always been returned though. I don’t know why so don’t ask me, but yeah. Hopefully it will help you with whatever you wanna be helped with. Loneliness, did you say?”

Oh,  _if_  looks could kill, he’d be twenty foot under already.  

“Can you leave me alone to enjoy whatever the hell I want to play?”  

Kihyun shakes his head. “That’s not something you play. That’s something you use. I didn’t realise you were becoming that stereotype, single and forty kind of person.”

“Leave me alone,” you tell him, pushing at his shoulder.  

“Fine, if you want me to. Go pay for this at the counter  _without me_ ,” Kihyun says. He nods towards the counter but you only raise an eyebrow because although you’re always back there, there’s no way in hell you can work that piece of machinery that dare called itself  _technology._ “No, I’m serious. There’s a new guy working here and he’ll serve you. Hyungwon?”

There’s a slight patter of feet and out from where Kihyun appeared from, another boy appears with dark hair and an unforgettable smile. “Yes?”

 _Jesus_ his voice was silkier than Messi’s dribbling skills.  

Curse Jooheon for always shouting that expression out when he was watching Barcelona play—how do you even judge someone’s football skills as  _silky. God_. That was disastrous.  

Aside from his voice that was beyond heavenly, there’s also his face which appears to be crafted directly to make girls fall at their knees and a part of you is beginning to think you may just be blushing completely in the middle of the isle as you stare at this guy. Hyungwon; that was his name? It suited him quite well if you may say.  

“Can you serve this lovely customer for me?” Kihyun asks him in that  _dreadful_  fake voice he always seemed to use when he was annoyed at someone, or wanted to just piss you off in general. “If  _this_ customer asks for anything extra, say no. Anyone else, of course you say yes to but this one will mess you about. Just say no.”

Kihyun earns a slap on his arm from you as soon as he says that. You’re not even feeling bad about hitting him,  _Hyungwon_ was calling.  

“Hi,” you mumble quietly. Hyungwon has now moved behind the counter and you’re on the other side staring at him  _within reason_. Every time he looked down to you, you would just look away without a care in the world. “I’d like this, please.”

If only it had dawned to you that this living marble statue of  _perfection_ would have a good look at what you were buying and would most probably judge you. His laugh at the cover of what you had in your hands alerts you that he is definitely judging you.  

“Boyfriend simulator?” He asks.  

Now, you expect him to make another comment.  _Why would someone pretty like you need a simulator?_ Or maybe—more likely— _I didn’t expect you to be that lame._ However, nothing comes from him and he just smiles as he types something in on the register and places it in a bag for you.

“That will be eight thousand won, please,” Hyungwon tells you, looking up to meet your eyes again.  

You believe honestly that if you keep looking into his eyes you may experience what everyone else experienced with Hoseok, so you just nod and reach into your pocket to find your purse and get the money out for him. There was no point getting attached now, you’d never see him again.  

The general manager didn’t like most people working here other than Kihyun, so Kihyun was here mostly every day of the week and no one else worked here because the manager scared them off. This Hyungwon guy wouldn’t be here next week (as depressing as that may be) and you’d be forever left to remember your very own medusa.  

Who, for emphasis, was making your cheeks so hot it was like they’d be microwaved on the highest degree.  

“Are you friends with Kihyun?” Hyungwon asks you.  

You’re not entirely expecting the question, so you look up to him with wide eyes in complete denial that he actually just spoke with you. “Uhm, yes! Yes, Kihyun and I are… friends. We’ve been friends since we were kids, you know. I’m always here, I must have missed when you started.”

“Yesterday was my first day,” Hyungwon tells you. He picks up your bag and passes it over to you and your hands just brush for the slightest moment and it’s then that you think the two of you might  _just_ have an unearthly connection.  

Like in those fanfics where the boyfriend is an alien of some sorts—they didn’t even make sense. Wait, forget those, mind back to Hyungwon.  

He’s just got the prettiest face and the nicest lips and–you should stop now before it got too much. “I hope to see you around here more often.”

He hopes to see you? He does! If your heart wasn’t racing so much you’d probably be having an internal crisis. Kihyun’s probably been watching this whole thing and is going to murder you for this whole conversation, but you don’t care. Hyungwon wants to see  _you_  again and he  _hopes_ for it, too!

So you smile back and bow your head a little to thank him, heart still thumping. “I hope to see you too.”

The boyfriend simulator better be just as good as meeting Hyungwon was.  

✿✿✿✿

That is…  _really_ realistic.  

Whilst you’re not entirely convinced by these one hundred per cent ripped off an otome game and stuck on this makeshift DVD that barely works, the face of the boy in your screen is without fail and it makes you shiver. More than just once.  

He’s actually pretty hot—not that you should be thinking that way because this is a computer game and his just artificial intelligence after all, but Jesus Christ he’s better looking than those idols in Seventeen. Jeon Wonwoo had nothing on video game boyfriends that would actually love you back.  

Well, love was debatable but that was far from the point. You’d feel loved by your very own Jeon Wonwoo that looked nothing like Jeon Wonwoo and you wouldn’t even feel bad about it. Mimi could suck on that.  

“Hi!” The computer said. Wait, that’s wrong—your virtual boyfriend said to you. How strange. His computer eyes follow you everywhere and escaping it would be harder than getting out of a maze, much like the ones Kihyun made you go to. “Nice to meet you, my name is Changkyun!”

Changkyun. It had a name, how cute. Did you respond now? You were sure. The box of the game looked too old to be able to recognise your speech with any accuracy so you just sit there with a little confusion. Was that the webcam light on your laptop on?  

Oh shit. It’s a virus. You’re ninety percent sure that Yoo Kihyun has sold you a virus as a video game and now you’re never going to have a working laptop again, lest you manage to beg your parents for one to replace it, and you’re probably being watched by thousands of men on the internet who jack off to shit like this. Great, time to move to the Bahamas and adopt a new name.  

“Please type your name in the box below,” Changkyun tells you. Though his upper body is covering the majority of the screen, his hand appears in front of his shoulders and he points down at where your keyboard is.  

Maybe that’s not the best idea given that you’re contemplating how many men are watching you sit here staring at your screen in awe. But the camera light goes off and your computer runs fine, so you assume it’s okay.  

For now.  

“That’s a beautiful name,” Changkyun comments. He seems meaningful and you can wish that one day you’d get that from someone who meant it for you personally. You just smile and wait for the next instruction but, it comes with a price. Small one of that. “Do you have a cell phone? If so, please text code AUE27TS to 27301 so that we can talk over phone! If not, please exit off the application and restart at a later date.”

Thank god it displayed the details on the screen or you would not have been able to recall those details. He was actually pretty intriguing, this Changkyun dude. He spoke without any mechanical and programmed issues and every time you would look up to your screen, you’d catch his eyes and boy his smile was so, so cute. He must be about your age too.  

At least he would be if he was real.

“Have you sent the text yet?” Changkyun asks. You look up from your phone and to your computer screen where an eager looking Changkyun stands. His smile seems fake but you can’t hold anything to a computer. He’s AI. That’s all. 

Two text bubbles comes up on the screen, one saying yes and the other saying no. Of course you don’t answer and instead hurry your actions with your phone and start typing away at your phone to somehow satisfy Changkyun.  

> **_to: 27301_**    
>  _AUE27TS_  

You barely even get a chance to click the  _yes_ bubble before there’s a response, your phone vibrating in your hand sharply.  

> **_from: 27301  
>  _ ** _Hello from your your new boyfriend, Changkyun! It’s lovely to meet you. Would you be able to save my contact under my name so you know it’s me texting you?_

You’re amazed because of how realistic this all is—it’s as if he’s really texting you with a personal touch to it and you have to give the creators more credit than you originally planned on giving them because this is… fantastic. No, your heart is racing like with Hyungwon but Changkyun can’t do that to you because he’s still not real.  

> **_contact saved: Changkyun_ **
> 
> **_from: Changkyun  
>  _ ** _Thank you for saving my contact! Shall I tell you a little about myself? My name is Lim Changkyun and I’m born on 26th January - do you know what star sign that makes me?_
> 
> **_to: Changkyun  
>  _ ** _An Aquarius?_
> 
> **_from: Changkyun  
>  _ ** _Yes! That’s me ^^ I’m from Gwangju, but my favourite ever place to be is Osaka in Japan. Have you been there?_

It shouldn’t worry you how responsive this game is but it does, slightly. You can respond quickly and get a quick response that actually made sense. It wasn’t an artificial message or anything which made it very likely that you were talking to someone on the other side of the phone line.  

> **_from: Changkyun  
>  _ ** _it’s okay if you don’t wish to speak about that. Why don’t you tell me a little about you? What’s your favourite song?_

Maybe you  _did_ have to respond.  

> **_to: Changkyun_**    
>  _I like Downpour by IOI, I think it’s a really good song._  
> 
> **_from: Changkyun_**    
>  _That’s such a good song! I was so disappointed that they disbanded, I also really liked their song that they did for the drama Scarlet Heart. Have you seen it?_
> 
> **_to: Changkyun  
>  _ ** _I have! I thought that it was really good and my favourite character was Baek-Ah, he was really cute in it and played such a good role, I was so surprised!_

There must be something wrong for you to be enjoying talking to this game so much. You weren’t having to force conversation even if you were just a few messages in, it appeared to flow quite well. That was a good thing, it made this Changkyun guy much easier to talk to that your friends at the moment. When was the last time one of them text you?

Not recently, that’s for sure.

> **_from: Changkyun  
>  _ ** _Hey, don’t say that! You’re making me jealous. Do you think that I’m cute?_
> 
> **_to: Changkyun_**    
>  _You are, yeah ^^_
> 
> **_from: Changkyun_**    
>  _I’m so glad you think so. Aren’t you glad that I’m your boyfriend now?_

Speaking realistically, you were glad that someone was there to speak to. You could message Changkyun now whenever you were feeling…  _down_ , for say, but that didn’t particularly mean that you were glad he was your boyfriend. That may just be overstepping the boundary.

He wasn’t your boyfriend. He was artificial intelligence and you’d just have to keep telling yourself that so you wouldn’t get anyway attached you the somewhat charismatic boy behind the number you were texting and your computer game. He was in  _no way_ your boyfriend but instead a simulator.  

That didn’t mean you didn’t feel harsh texting said simulator back anything but yes. How could you live with yourself after that? It was probably a human behind all of these texts and what a waste of their time you’d be if you just said no, you’re not glad Lim Changkyun is your  _boyfriend_  and they had to keep texting you so they’d be paid.  

Right, that’s all you were doing now. You were making sure someone’s job was secure and you were giving them a reason to keep texting you and earn money. Not because this person was at all your boyfriend or because Lim Changkyun was an ideal guy who roped you in with his face and whatnot. Of course not!

Talking with him for the next however long, though, would be a hell of a lot of fun if it carried on like this.  

> **_to: Changkyun  
>  _**_Of course I’m glad! I couldn’t have asked for anyone better than you._  

✿✿✿✿

“Who ya texting?”

Despite the fact that Mimi’s voice almost terrifies the  _living shit_  out of you, for reasons which you know to be the fact you were  _so_ engrossed in your chat with Changkyun, you manage to play it cool and act like you weren’t totally thrown off.  

A smile is sent in her direction as you lock your phone. “Just a friend.”

“What friend?” she continues to ask. It’s not often you’re actually talking to people other than them, and any time Kihyun text you it would be just a string of messages for you to either  _a._ call him or  _b._ meet him.  

“Does it matter?” you respond to her as non-sarcastically as you can. It comes out more as a retort and.. you’ll have to live with it. She wouldn’t be offended anyway. “Honestly, it’s just a friend. Nothing more to it.”

She nods at your words but you can tell she’s suspicions, mostly of the fact you’re clasping your phone so tightly that it would be near impossible for even the pick-pocket master Garrett couldn’t take it.  

 _Yikes._ You needed to step spending time with Kihyun and his damn video games.  

“Did you get your boyfriend simulator in the end?” Mimi asks you. She gives you another friendly look–one which you can tell is her usual  _give me all the gossip_ look. Any information you give her now, you’re sure will be spread around the group in the next .4 of the hour.  

But that was just what you took from other situations and events that occurred in the group. When Minhyuk had decided to ask a girl out for the first time in a year, everyone knew about it on the group chat which Mimi had created specifically for occasions like so. Really, she only ever kept things about Hoseok a secret.  

“Yeah, Kihyun helped me find one last night,” you answer her honestly, “it was okay I guess. Pretty boring, and uh… I don’t think I’ll be using it for long. Instead I may pursue this really cute guy that works with Kihyun now.”

She raises her eyebrows at your answer. “You’re gonna get a real boyfriend then?”

“I can hope? I guess.”

Coming from the fact that you had told her the game was  _pretty boring_ and that you wouldn’t use it  _for long_ , the part about getting with Hyungwon was likely to also be untrue. Changkyun was amazing to talk to; he just made things seem so interesting.  

Instead of staying up on random games like Forge of Empires, you’d been talking to Changkyun - and boy was it hard to stop talking to him. Not because he wouldn’t let you go (to a degree), but because the boy had even made greenery seem fun to talk about.  

Ah, he wasn’t a boy, you have to remember that.  

“Well I’m happy for you. Make sure you introduce him to us when you’ve sorted things out with him. What’s his name?”

“It’s–”

Just as you’re about to answer, your phone is vibrating in your hand and you can’t even stop yourself from checking it because you know who it is already.  

> **_from: Changkyun  
>  _ ** _Hey, where have you gone? Come back so I can talk to my wonderful girlfriend!_

“His name is Hyungwon and he’s really tall and I think that…” you pause before continuing because you’re really unsure if this is the type of thing you should be saying around Mimi. The last thing you needed was everyone and Changkyun knowing about Hyungwon. “He has a nice personality. Yeah. Uhm, I should be getting to Maths now, so I’ll see you at lunch?”

Mimi still seems suspicious of your behaviour and you imagine that Hoseok will also be on your back in Lit class later (because, unfortunately, he always sorted out his girlfriend’s problems when she couldn’t do it herself). “Yeah, see you later. Text me about any updates on the Hyungwon situation.”

You nod at her, assuring her that you will. Of course you doubt that anything actually will happen because you’d only see him when you were at Kihyun’s store and you’d not be there until at least tomorrow, so it seemed a little pointless. But hey, it didn’t matter. Distance makes the heart grow stronger.  

> **_to: Changkhyun  
>  _**_sorry! I forgot to tell you that I’m at school now, so I can’t answer very quickly._  

By this time you expect Changkyun to reply to you immediately but he doesn’t, so you carry on walking in the same direction towards your maths class with phone still tightly clutched in your hand -  _just in case_.  

There was no point even denying this attraction to AI Changkyun because he really knew everything that you’d like. It was as if he’d had a class directly taught about you and everything that you liked and knew and appreciated and… he was  _tailored_ for you. Never did you believe that a text he send you would not make your heart beat a little faster.  

Now, if only he was real.  

Because, if he was a real boy that you could talk to all them, he’d be on your mind almost all hours of the day and you’d probably be the best partner to him  _ever_. Realistically speaking though, he probably wouldn’t be so perfect in real life. There was no way that someone could be so perfect without even thinking about it. That really was impossible.  

That did kind of contrast the idea you had of someone personally sending all of his texts to you.  

All of though thoughts, however, are completely lost by the time you reach your maths class. You’re early like always but it seems that someone has beaten you and is standing in the middle of the room looking around the desks like he has no idea what to do.  

That someone being Hyungwon from Kihyun’s store.  

Now is the  _perfect_ time for some moscato d'asti.  

Part of the way through your internal panic of whether or not you should just walk in an say hello to him, Hyungwon catches your eyes through the glass of the door and his head tilts to the side as he obviously tries to work out whether or not he knows you. When the light seems to ding in his head, he smiles and raises a hand to wave to you which almost makes walking inside a thousand times easier.  

“Hi!” he greets happily, bowing his head ever so slightly at you as you walk through the door. “You’re (y/n), Kihyun’s friend. Nice to see you again! I told you I would.”

Well, he actually said he hoped to see you again but you’d not call him out for that today.  

“Nice to see you too, Hyungwon.”

He nods at your words and you being to panic,  _again_ , that maybe you’re not being as nice to him as you possibly could be. However he settles your fears with that beaming smile that hits you again. “I really didn’t know you went to school here. Are you in this class?”

“Yeah, it’s probably not the best class to be in,” you answer him. Better to just get him in touch with the school at first glance rather than sugar coat it all. “The teacher we have will give us work to do and leave us to it. No teaching involved really.”

“That actually sounds… rather fun?”

“Not if you sit on your own because all of your friends are in a different class,” you state.  

Oh,  _shit_ , that was too honest. Abort mission. Abort mission before Hyungwon thinks you’re even lamer than he already thinks you are.  

His laugh fills the air though and it makes you freeze internally. “You don’t have anyone sitting next to you already? Maybe I could sit next to you? If you wouldn’t mind, of course.”

“If you want to, too!” you answer him quickly, moments away from stuttering and giving away the fact that he’s still pretty much a marble version of Apollo to you. “I mean, it will make maths more fun having someone… having you sitting next to me.”

Hyungwon laughs  _again_  and your immediate reaction is that he’s just taking the piss a bit because of how awkward you’re being, but any social interaction skills that Mimi and Minhyuk have taught you would actually suggest that he thinks you’re  _cute_. That was what Mimi said - if a boy laughs around you they think you’re cute. Now what did Minhyuk say…

“Where do you sit?” Hyungwon asks.  

“Oh, just over there,” you say, pointing at the seat in the corner that is fully shaded from the obnoxious sunlight that often shone through the blinds in here.  

When Hyungwon doesn’t move, you realise that he’s expecting you to sit down first and you immediately move towards your exact seat, sitting down in the very corner and leaving the space next to you which was originally meant for you bag, open for Hyungwon to sit it.

First thing you notice when he sits down next to you is that he smells like heaven. It’s probably just an expensive cologne that he wore specifically for today so he made a good first impression for everyone, but it’s definitely made an impression on you. It may be hard to talk now. He’s so cute and he’s tall and  _he’s everything you’ve ever wanted_.  

“So you just started this school?” you ask him politely, biting down on your lip after you’ve spoken because that’s the worst conversation starter  _ever_.  

“Yeah, I came in yesterday to fill out my paperwork and whatnot and now I’m here for good,” Hyungwon tells you. Just after he meets your eyes he’s running his hands through his hair and pushing it back over his head in the most delicate way you’ve ever seen. Cue internal screaming. “I was kind of worried because my mum says that I’m shy around new people so I didn’t think I would make any new friends easily… but I have you now, I hope?”

That was phrased so badly, but it makes your cheeks heat up again and he’s doing that damn hair move again as you’re trying to answer him and it’s just making you stutter even more. “Of course! I’ll show you around at lunch, if you like? And introduce you to my friends so that you know some more people around here.”

“I’d really like that,” Hyungwon answers you, smile still sweet as ever. It’s so sweet and numbing that you can’t even pay attention to your phone that’s buzzing in your hand anymore. You’re concentrating on Hyungwon’s hands and his hair and  _Hyungwon_ in general.  

That’s what Minhyuk said! Boys run their fingers through their hair when they’re nervous.  

✿✿✿✿

Mimi and Hoseok seem to be  _infatuated_ with the sight of you.  

As you sit down opposite the two of them, obviously beating the rest of the group to lunch, they’re both watching with an excited glance because  _of course_ they know everything about you and Hyungwon already. That was a given; the two could gossip for their lives, especially Mimi.  

What did not help, was that Hyungwon ended up joining the exact same music club as Hoseok, Minhyuk and Jooheon. They four apparently got on so well that Hoseok had managed to get it out of Hyungwon himself that the two of you were friends, something you’d have told everyone quite happily.  

“Hey,” Mimi greets happily with that god-awful smile on her face. “How’s everything? Are you okay?”

You frown at her words, but nod as an answer. Why was she acting as if you’d just been mauled by a bear in your last class? Are you okay -  _yeah I’m just fine._ “Why are you both out so early?”

“Answer our questions first,” Hoseok interupts, preventing Mimi from answering your question which you were sure she’d quite happily do anyway. “How is  _everything_?”

“It’s perfectly fine,” you answer with  _another_ frown. Now that you’re sitting down opposite them on the table it’s going to be impossible to leave them but you’d put up with it just until at least Jiho was here and then you could escape from their questioning by passing the topics on to someone else.  

“Have you been asked to do anything by anyone recently?”

You only shake your head.  

“Like anybody in this school by chance?”

“What is this, twenty questions?” you reply swiftly, narrowed eyes meeting Mimi’s wide ones which are just waiting for a response exactly like this one. She knows you far better than Hoseok of course and he wouldn’t expect you to talk back to him so easily. “Can I have lunch without being asked all of these questions, please?”

Hoseok cocks his head to the side and a smirk begins to form on his lips - one you’re not exactly favoured on seeing. “Does that mean you  _do_ like someone?”

“It means let me eat without being harassed,” you tell him.  

This was expected eventually. Everyone had noticed that you’d spent more time around Hyungwon since he showed up in your maths class and made your heart flutter. Although you weren’t just texting him, Mimi and Hoseok had been putting down your new found texting habits down to Hyungwon and when you put everything together it did seem as though you liked him, really.  

But you’d not say anything as of yet because Hyungwon most probably had a totally hot girlfriend or boyfriend at his old school and him rejecting you would be embarrassing. Minhyuk would probably never let you live it up.  

Most of your texting was down to Changkyun, the wonderful AI that you’d still managed to find time for because nothing was going ahead from Hyungwon for now and he was great to talk with,  _still_.  

It had been almost three weeks since you’d bought that game and it was fun at first. Changkyun in real life would definitely be the kind of guy you wished to be with but he wasn’t real so you’d decided to try and keep your distance before you became one of those weird people obsessed with  _video game characters._

Kihyun would kill you for comparing Changkyun to a video game character.  

“What if I ask Hyungwon?” Hoseok suggests. You look up from your phone that you’d barely even touched yet, wide eyes causing that deer caught in headlights effect to be very prominent. “What do you think he would say?”

If you act natural then Hoseok has  _nothing_ on you. “What, you’re going to ask Hyungwon if I have a crush on anyone?”  

Hoseok shakes his head and sports a similar smile to that sarcastic one that Mimi had earlier. They really were made for each other; god forbid someone try to come between them. No, that wouldn’t be as bad as if they actually found out you may have liked Hyungwon more than you gave off.  

“Hey Hyungwon,” Hoseok greets gleefully. Hyungwon takes the seat next to you and offers you a smile when you turn to him, and then he greets Hoseok and Mimi, the latter of which was now sitting a lot straighter in her seat. “Can I ask you something?”

Hyungwon is still on the outskirts of the friendship so one thing you can expect from him is to give into everyone of their commands or requests so he didn’t seem rude. He does exactly that, but you’re trying to direct your attention somewhere else so it seems like you’re really not interested.  

“Sure, how can I help?”

“Do you like anyone?” Mimi asks. She jumps straight to the point and you notice her hand on Hoseok’s forearm as if to say that  _she_ would conduct the rest of this discussion. “We’re asking everyone so that we can try and help set people up.”

> **_from: Changkyun_**    
>  _How have your classes been? Are you still busy? I’m waiting for you to answer me so we can talk some more. I miss you._  

“I don’t really think that I’ve been here long enough to be judging whether I… Like anyone,” Hyungwon answers. He tries to be as nice as possible and looks down at his lap to avoid her continuous questioning. “But, I mean…”

> **_from: Changkyun_**    
>  _I really do miss you. Please message me back. I think that you’re the best girlfriend ever._  

Hoseok and Mimi both look up to Hyungwon at his statement because he never finished saying what he wanted to say and that concerns them. Though you’re half looking at your phone screen to look at what Changkyun has messaged this time, you notice how Hyungwon’s hands are loosely playing with his sleeves as though he’s nervous. Again.  

“I will tell you if I do like someone, of course.”

Mimi smiles widely and turns to you almost immediately, Hyungwon and Hoseok soon following suit. “See, Hyungwon has told us an honest answer. Why can’t you just tell us the truth about who you like?”

“I didn’t even lie to you, I just told you to ask me when I’m not eating.”

“You’re not eating now,” Hoseok states.  _Touche_.  

“Is it that Changkyun boy that’s always texting you?” Mimi asks you, raising a brow. She glances down at your phone and her eyes light up when she realises you’re probably mid way thought texting the exact same Changkyun she’s mentioning. “See, you’re texting him now! Who is he and why do you keep texting him? Do you like  _him_?”

You can only shake your head in response. There was a choice to be made here, and that was to admit in front of Hyungwon that you actively text your boyfriend simulator, or to just make up who he is. “Okay, let’s get one thing straight. I have been texting Kihyun often because he got a new phone and finally has a social life. Even Hyungwon can stick up for me on that one.”

He nods. You’re so happy right now that he hasn’t quit working at that damn store. Shame you hadn’t texted Kihyun in like a week though.  

“Then who is Changkyun?” Mimi questions further. She’s eyeing your phone again and as if on cue your phone is vibrating and the screen lights up which Mimi definitely tries to read.  

> **_from: Changkyun_**    
>  _I’m curious. Do you tell people about me? If I could, I would tell people about you because I like you. You’re so nice to talk to. I think you and I are great together._  

“You must have mixed up my cousin Chanhee and Kihyun, I don’t know anyone called Changkyun,” you tell them all. It’s a blatant lie, to a degree. It could be argued that you did in fact know a Changkyun but technically you don’t. He’s  _just_ a character in a  _game_.  

“Oh,” Mimi says. You’ve caught her out complete and she looks lost. It’s actually a surprise to you.  

“But as Hyungwon said, I’ll tell you if I like someone soon, too,” you tell her. He solemn looking face made you feel kind of bad for being dishonest but it would save any chances of you being  _with_ Hyungwon in the future. “Maybe you should work on getting Kihyun and Jiho together?”

Hoseok laughs at your comment but Mimi still sits there, staring directly at you. She’s onto you and you know it, but for now you’d ignore it. Hoseok seems to realise something is wrong too and distracts her, much to your pleasure. “That’s a good idea, don’t you think? They’d probably get on so well, babe.”

“Is this  _Kihyun_ Kihyun?” Hyungwon asks.  

All three of you nod; Hoseok confirms it. “Has he spoke about her at work?”

“If she’s the girl that he nicknames  _nyang_ , then yes,” Hyungwon tells you all. Mimi’s smile seems to grow and you’re saying prays in your head because it means she’ll be off your back for the next while. “He said that he thinks she is really pretty and that every time they talk he feels like his heart is doing back flips. He wouldn’t tell me her name, only called her Nyang.”

Mimi claps her hands together and beams at the two of you opposite to her, the scheming mind she has coming up with plans to get them together. “This is perfect information, thank you Hyungwonie.”

Maybe it wouldn’t be that bad if she got the two of you together, actually.  

It would just be messy.  

> **_from: Changkyun  
>  _ ** _Where are you? Please come back, I do miss you. I want to talk to you, you make me happier._

Okay, you’d have to turn of notifications for Changkyun’s chatroom if you were going to have any chances of getting away from not knowing a Changkyun with Mimi, and getting her to set you up with Hyungwon if you couldn’t do it yourself. 

But didn’t the box say the AI would only respond to texts? Oh well.  

✿✿✿✿

“ _Hey._ ”

You raise your head at the sound of the unfamiliar voice. No one is there.

“ _You can hear me, can’t you_?”

Yes, you can. You won’t say that though because you’re mind is in a process of shock right now. You’re sitting in your bed, phone in your hands and mind groggy. You were sleeping, that’s as far back as your mind will go. You fell asleep whilst talking to Hyungwon on the phone, you must have.

“ _Please talk to me_ ,” the voice says. You can’t place a finger on it but for some reason it’s burned into your memories like no other one has been. “ _Do you know how lonely it gets for me? I’m always so alone. Then I started talking to you and I want to talk to you more. Just… say hi to me. Something, anything_.”

Now, you must be lucid dreaming of some sorts. That or Kihyun has teamed up with someone to pull a massive prank on you. But Hyunwoo wouldn’t let them into your apartment and neither would your parents, especially in the middle of the night. Nothing really makes sense.

“Who are you?”

“ _Your voice is so nice_!” the voice replies. You find yourself looking around but there’s nothing there and it’s confusing because you can feel someone else there with you. Surely someone’s not under your bed. “ _It’s me. Don’t you recognise me? Oh… I’m sorry. You wouldn’t recognise me because you’ve heard my voice, what… once?_ ”

You remain still as your mind thinks through everything. What were you even doing before this? Now you couldn’t even remember that, you have no idea what’s going on. “I… uhm, I can’t see you.”

“ _No, no you won’t be able to - not yet_ ,” you’re instructed. “ _It’s a… Long story to say the least but being able to talk to you is enough for me. It’s so nice to hear your voice. I must sound like such an annoying boyfriend over text, I get really clingy because I’m used to people just ignoring me._ ”

It’s Changkyun. That’s why his voice was etched in your memory.

“ _I don’t like it when people ignore me.”_

“I won’t ignore you,” you answer. You’re still searching the room for any sign of the boyfriend simulator _character_  but it’s no help. You must be going crazy.

The hearty chuckle that fills the room, however, does not confirm that you are hallucinating. It’s so real that the hairs on your arms stick up and a shiver runs down your spine. Changkyun seems  _real_. “ _I’m so glad. What would I do without you? Well, I can answer that already. I wouldn’t be here without you. I should say thank you.”_

“You don’t have to thank me,” you answer him.

“ _I do,_ ” he tells you, “ _I have so much to thank you for. You’ve been talking to me and making me feel so… real again. It’s nice actually. I just wish I was there with you because I want to spend all of my time with you. Would you like that? To meet me?”_

You pause for thought; hopefully Changkyun wouldn’t be offended. You’ve thought before that Changkyun would be perfect in real life but it’s impossible for him to actually exist. But meeting him for real? It would be great. That couldn’t happen though, it wouldn’t be  _real_. “How would I be able to meet you? You’re just… Artificial intelligence.”

“ _I can be real if you wanted me to be real_ ,” Changkyun says. For some reason it feels like he’s getting closer to you. That every breath you take leaves you falling into his grasp even more.

“Of course I want you to be real,” you answer him honestly. It comes with a slight smile on your lips at the thought of him being with you. “I mean, you’re meant to be the perfect boyfriend so why wouldn’t I want that?”

“ _Because you could be scared._ ”

You hum softly. “I’m not scared of you.”

“ _I’m more powerful than you think, baby,_ ” he tells you. There’s a stillness in the air and it’s like he’s wrapping his arms around you and keeping you so safe from the rest of the world. You surely can’t ask for this to be real. “ _But if you want me to be real, I can be real. I can become your reality._ ”

 _Your_ reality - it sounded like a good reality. He’s what you need and what you want so why wouldn’t you want him to be real, laying here with you and becoming the Changkyun you desired from your unconscious. He’d be better than anyone on earth could be, you know that, don’t you?

“What do I have to do?”

Changkyun laughs again, and again you feel him getting closer. You’re looking over your shoulder to check he’s not behind you and he’s not. The only thing on is your computer which is open onto his game. He’s not on the screen. It’s just a pink background with the purple writing telling you  _please text code AUE27TS to 27301 so that we can talk over phone._

“ _So you wish for me to be real_?” He asks one more time. You nod immediately, taking a deep breath as you peer around the room one final time. “ _If you insist. I think it will be great. You’ve been the best girlfriend I’ve ever had, I want to be real here to. To bring me closer and make me more real than I am now, you just have to say my name.”_

“Your name?” you repeat his words slowly so they make sense in your head but it seems like such a little price to pay for him to be yours. “I want you to be real, Changkyun. I want you to be mine.”

But you don’t see him, you’re just pulled up from where you’re laying in bed by the banging on your door that’s definitely meant for you.

Wait, weren’t you just sitting up? Who knows.

You run to the door regardless because you want to know who’s behind it. It’s got to be Changkyun, he’s got to be real now and be yours, right? That’s what he said. Just say my name and I’ll be yours and I’ll be real. That’s what he said.

Disappointment hits you in the face harder than anything else has.

“Hey!” Hyunwoo greets you, smile on his face wider than usual as he bows slightly. Okay, it wasn’t that disappointing because Hyunwoo is a great sight in the morning. Wait, is it Saturday? You’re still in your pyjamas and you’re staring Son Hyunwoo in the face looking like  _death_. “I think this boy is yours, he was standing at my door for ten minutes and I thought I’d bring him over.”

Hyunwoo is talking about Hyungwon. He’s standing there with that cute smile he’s always sporting and he’s got flowers in his hand and his hair straightened and… you’d forgotten all about this.

You have a date today with Hyungwon. You thought you’d set an alarm on your phone for it but you must have turned it off by accident.

“Hi, sorry I’m early, I really wanted to see you,” Hyungwon tells you. He bites down on his bottom lip that’s already a little red and hands over the flowers to you with a shy stance. Much to your surprise, he doesn’t take his eyes away from your own and doesn’t do that typical once over.

“It’s okay,  _uhm_ , sorry I’m late!” you answer softly, taking his flowers that are the cutest daisies you may have ever seen in your life. You look over to Hyunwoo and bow at him yourself and pray that he doesn’t make any further comment on the fact you’re not dressed and you probably look like a mess right now. “Thanks Hyunwoo, I’ll see you around.”

Hyunwoo isn’t really the kind of guy to judge people and you were sure that’s why he was dating his current girlfriend. Well, you were sure they were together though you and Hyunwoo were never exactly close enough for you to be discussing that kind of thing. He was just your crush from years ago.

“Sorry I’m not ready yet,” you tell Hyungwon, offering another apology for your disorganisation. He shakes his head at you as if it doesn’t matter and follows you inside, staying close behind you. You’re so glad no one else is home right now. “I must have slept through my alarm but I will be literally ten minutes. Just, make yourself at home for the time being?”

Hyungwon hums and your words and promptly sits down on your couch without a second word. He waits until you’re walking away from him before he calls you back with your name. “Can I tell you something?”

“Sure…?” you answer, hesitating as you stop in your tracks and turn back to him. He wouldn’t say anything too harsh would he? No, Hyungwon isn’t like that.

“You look really cute like that,” Hyungwon says.

His cheeks are slightly blushed and you can feel your cheeks start to heat at this saying too, the words unexpected to you but greatly taken in your stride. Mimi could suck on that one, saying you needed to look cute for today.

So could Kihyun for saying that you’d been the best girlfriend he’s ever had.

Wait,  _no_ , Kihyun didn’t say that. You’ve never dated Kihyun - not that you ever planned on in the future, either - so why would he say that? Today is such a bad day, you’re forgetting everything.

✿✿✿✿

“ _Baby_.”

“Hmm?”

“Baby.”

Your eyes are pulled open by the shock of reality that followed the voice you heard. It’s far more realistic than you imagined it to have ever been. Your spine is shocked with a shiver that has your heart racing.

“Hi,” Changkyun says. His voice is in the room with you and something tells you that  _he_ is too. “I missed you. I’ve been counting down the hours since I last saw you. How was your day?”

He’s right there in front of you and you’re  _frozen_. Changkyun,  _Lim Changkyun_  from that boyfriend simulator and you must be going crazy. What time is it? Why are you still in bed? He should have just woken you up.

His smile is bittersweet and you know you should resist it. He just stands there with a smile on his face that would scare anyone who has common sense away, but still you sit with no intentions of trying to wake yourself up from this dream.

Could you even call it that? A dream seemed inappropriate because he was more real than your own sense of reality that wouldn’t correspond to any of your thoughts right now.

“You seem surprised,” Changkyun speaks softly. He seems sad, possibly because you’ve made him feel like you don’t want to see him. “Was I better looking in the game?”

But you  _do_ want to see him. You’d wanted this since opening that game, didn’t you? Every text he sent to you had you hanging onto the chance that maybe Changkyun was real and you could only wish that you’d be able to see him in real life one day.

He was better than you ever expected.

“No, you’re…” you look up into his eyes again and it makes you freeze. Describing him with words seemed impossible. “… _perfect_.”

Changkyun smiles widely and you don’t miss the blush on his cheeks at your words, covered slightly by the fact he looks down at the ground. “Perfect? You seem so sure. I wouldn’t say I’m perfect.”

“You’re the perfect boyfriend.”

“And you’re the only one who’s said that,” Changkyun tells you honestly. “If I’m the perfect boyfriend, then why are you dating that other boy?”

“Hyungwon? I-uh-sorry…”

“That’s his name.”

Changkyun seems disappointed at your words. Hyungwon isn’t your boyfriend and he’s no where close to it but you still thought of him when Changkyun mentioned  _boyfriend._ You have no boyfriend. You don’t have a boyfriend.

“He’s not my boyfriend,” you tell Changkyun. Though you tell him the statement whilst looking into his eyes, you have to look away to finish. “He’s a friend. We went on a date but… nothing more.”

There’s no apparent response from Changkyun but you don’t want to look up and meet his eyes only to break his heart once more. But you don’t have to, because almost effortlessly the patch next to you on your bed becomes heavy and you’re left to see Changkyun’s figure staring down at you from his position opposite.

“I’m not mad.”

You nod. “He works with my best friend Kihyun.”

“Kihyun who has a crush on Jiho?” Changkyun asks. You believe at the back of your mind that he is mad but he’s trying to be nice to you; keep that perfection apparent.

“That’s him,” you answer with a smile that matches Changkyun’s. He’s wearing a white sweatshirt and you want to just fall into his arms and be with him forever. “How did you know who they were?”

Changkyun’s head is cocked to the side, brows furrowed. “You told me, remember? The last time we met.”

You aren’t going to question his words even if you’ve only seen him once before this. He’s not going to lie to you, is he? That would be pointless. He’s your perfect boyfriend and he has no reason to lie to you in anyway possible. Technically he’s not even met you before because last time he was just a  _voice_.

“Just remember that I’m your boyfriend,” Changkyun says. “So I would prefer if you didn’t go on dates with anyone else, because if you do then it will make me sad. Especially with Hyungwon. He makes me feel… jealous. I think you like him more than me.”

You of course shake your head, ready to protest your feelings for Hyungwon. Well, you did like Hyungwon. He was cute and he knew how to make you happy but he wasn’t Changkyun. Changkyun was your boyfriend and he was the one for you.

“I don’t like him more than you. I promise you.”

“So what are you going to do from now on?” Changkyun asks.

“I’m not going to go on dates with anyone else,” you answer submissively. He’s staring right into your eyes and if he was any closer than your soul would be made bare by him. “Especially Hyungwon.”

Changkyun grins almost sadistically but you’re looking up to his eyes and that makes you feel far more comfortable. He makes you feel safe; he’s protecting you like this and he’s making you feel loved. He’s everything you need.

“You don’t need to even be friends with him.”

“Sorry?”

“I said,” Changkyun pauses as he reaches his hand to your face and cups your cheek, something that takes your breath away,“ you don’t even need to be friends with him, do you?”

Though you curl a hand around his own that’s on your cheek, you don’t plan on removing it. He’s so warm, it makes you feel comfortable with him. You can’t ask for anything more from Changkyun. Maybe you should listen to his words about Hyungwon - he’s your boyfriend after all.

“Baby,” Changkyun says softly.

“I don’t have to be friends with him if you don’t want me to be, Changkyun.”

Changkyun’s face softens and he sighs at your words. His thumb strokes across your cheek in a slow motion. “I love it when you say my name, baby.”

“I’ll say it as many times as you’d like me to,” you tell him immediately.

You find yourself moving up to your knees so you can reach his eye level and taking his hand down from your face so you can hold in in your own two. Shuffling towards him becomes a pain to you but Changkyun makes no effort to bring you closer to him, in fact the second your leg touches his he tries to push you away from him.

“What are you doing?” He questions.

What  _are_ you doing? His question is quite relevant.

“Can I not…” you look down from his words the second you realise you’re being very forward with what you’re saying. But you want to touch him; kiss him. “It doesn’t matter, I just wanted… You and I…we-uh… Don’t worry. It doesn’t matter.”

Of course you’re talking to Changkyun and it  _does_ matter to him. “What is it? Tell me. I want to know what’s wrong.”

“Can’t I cuddle you?” you ask him. It’s not entirely what you wanted but you’d like to cuddle him at some point. That would make things better for you. All those times that you felt so lonely would disappear.

However, Changkyun doesn’t give you the response you wanted, not a response you ever could have expected. He just sits there and stares you without saying a word as though he really doesn’t know what to say to you apart from  _yes_.

“Cuddle me?” he repeats. Following your rather enthusiastic nod he just looks over to his right hand side nervously, but does nod eventually. He turns back to you with that ever enthusiastic smile that encourages your heart to skip a few beats. “S-Sure. You can do  _that_.”

And if you were in a better state than you were now, you may realise that it sounds like he has no idea what you’re about to do.

But you’re throwing yourself into his arms without a second word and resting your head on his chest, encouraging him to place his arms around you to. Which he does, despite taking a long time to do it.

“You’re cute,” Changkyun comments. He looks down at you with the widest smile and all you can do is look away from him with heat gracing your cheeks. “Hey, don’t hide your face.”

You look back up to him shyly. “Sorry.”

“Don’t apologise. I just want to look at my beautiful girlfriend’s face, don’t I?”

Look, he does. It feels as though he’s inspecting you for any faults but he doesn’t find any because he never calls you out for any. He just keeps watching your face and he makes you feel loved like no other; what more can you ask for? Someone like this is impossible. He’s the perfect boyfriend, period.

“You’re my perfect girlfriend, too,” Changkyun says. He’s got a hand on your back which rubs across your covered skin and soothes all the troubles you had. Not that you could remember any of them, anyway.

“You’ve had other girlfriends?”

“None like you.”

Well,  _touche_.

“And I want to kiss you.”

You’ve not seen him so shy like this, hiding his face from the light as though he’s embarrassed for his own words. You do pull back from him though, matching feelings taking over your body because you want to give him what he wants. He  _wants_ to kiss you and you’d kiss him. So many times. Over and over.

Yet he still doesn’t move towards you and you’re unsure as to why. You make the first move for him nonetheless, moving towards his face in a sluggish way so you can stare into those eyes some more. He’s almost hypnotic. But he stops you from getting any closer to him, lips ghosting over his own as he speaks.

“If you kiss me, you’ll never get rid of me.”

“I don’t want to get rid of you,” you tell him, honestly.

“Ever?” he questions again.

You could have questioned it further and spoken with him but his words are boring. You want to show him your answer, so you just kiss him. There’s no sparks, no fireworks in your mind because you can barely even breathe, yet alone think.

His lips are so soft against yours. Even though he doesn’t try to depend your kiss or touch your hair to pull you closer, the fingers you’ve got tangled in hair so he’s kept at one with you seal the deal. It’s like the handcuffs have been placed on both your and Changkyun’s wrists and you’re stuck together.

But you want him to be there.

“Ever.”

✿✿✿✿

 _If you times the decimal number by…_ what was it? This is all pointless. You’ll never need to know half of this stuff after you finish school so learning it seemed ridiculous; especially with so little time left.

Of course you’ll just sit here and say nothing because that’s the appropriate thing to do here in Maths class. The teacher is saying something and in a bid to do you homework that was due in about ten minutes time you’d turned your head down to the textbook; you were relying on the teacher not to call your name and rat you out for doing this.

Just four more questions and you’d be done but you can barely concentrate anyway. There’s things on your mind like what’s waiting for you at home. It comes in the form of your boyfriend who you haven’t seen in…  _eight hours two minutes and twenty seven seconds._ You may have forgot about school if Hyunwoo wouldn’t have knocked on your door and told you that he’d walk you there if you’d like him to.

“ _(y/n)_?”

You turn to Hyungwon’s voice calling your name, eyes absent from what he wanted. He seems concerned. You remind yourself as to what Changkyun told you before. “Yes?”

“Are you okay?” He asks with those shining eyes he always seemed to have. It makes you rub your eyes a little to check that you’re not seeing things. Nope, he’s still pretty. “You look like you haven’t slept in days. Is everything okay?”

A nod is all that answers his question as you turn back to your homework and continue to fill out the paper. You’ve slept for a bit. Not as much as usual but when else would you get a chance to talk to Changkyun?

He’s never around when you’re not at home and ever since you—ahem— _kissed_ him, he’s always been seeing you and keeping you up to dawn with things he has to say. To be fair to him, last night you’d fallen asleep in his arms for the period of about twenty minutes and woke up to him attempting to write a rap about you.

Speak of the devil, he sends you a text just as you wanted him to.

> **_from: Changkyunie_ ** **♡  
>  ** _How’s my baby doing? Is everything okay at school?_

Despite feeling Hyungwon’s eyes on you, your hands scramble to reply to him as quickly as you can. Staying away from Hyungwon was from the best, as Changkyun said. Nothing good would come from him and you wanted to please your boyfriend because seeing him happy was the best thing,  _ever._

> **_to: Changkyunie_ ** **♡  
>  ** _i’m tired, can’t wait to see you later. i wish the internet was down here so they’d cancel this class and I could go to the nurse, pretend i’m ill and get her to send me home. i miss you_

“Do you want to do something after school today?” Hyungwon asks you. He seems very sincere and if you weren’t staring at your phone so intently you’d have picked up on the fact he was so infatuated with you like you were before. “We haven’t hung out in a while. I liked spending time with you.”

You’re only waiting for Changkyun’s response but a sudden gasp from the teacher brings you to the attention of the world around you, including Hyungwon. Looking over to the teacher, then at Hyungwon, you find yourself lost a little for words.

“Sorry?”

“I’m asking you on another date.”

“ _Oh._ ” You have to glance back to the teacher in an attempt to avoid answering him like he wants, but somehow you manage to avoid doing exactly that. “What’s this? Is something wrong with the computer?”

Praise the black-screened projector that just saved your life.

Hyungwon sighs in frustration, but answers your question anyway. “She was going to play us a video but it won’t play. Something like that.”

“ _Amazing_ ,” you mumble, trying to hide the smile on your lips that’s graced because you  _will_  get to see Changkyun early at this rate.

Though you begin to pack everything on your desk away into your bag so you can make a quick escape from here, you’re stopped by a hand that falls over your own to stop you from moving. It’s heavy; he doesn’t want you to move. You’re left to stare up into those wide, beautiful and sorrowful eyes of Hyungwon’s again.

“Did I do something wrong?” He questions, lips slightly red from where he’s been biting them so much. You’d know if you still paid attention to him. He shakes his head as he looks down at his lap in despair. “I really like you, you know that.”

Is he about to confess?

“Hyungwon, I’ve been really busy lately and I just haven't—”

“There’s another guy, I know. It’s fine, can you just tell me straight though?”

You nod softly at his words. It’s so hard for you to admit everything to him because he won’t understand. You’d said before you didn’t like anyone and now you were just going to tell him everything. No one would understand. They’d  _never_ get it _._

So you take your hand away from his and look down at your phone which is still on your lap, absent of a text from Changkyun. “I have a boyfriend. His name is Changkyun.”

“I though you said he didn’t exist?” Hyungwon asks. He’s frowning now; no more baby face. “When Mimi asked you told her that she mixed up Kihyun and Chanhee, but you didn’t know a Changkyun. That was a lie?”

“I didn’t want her to question me about it.”

Hyungwon laughs— _scoffs_. He doesn’t seem like someone capable of that kind of behaviour but he does it nonetheless. When you look up to meet his eyes he barely even looks in your direction. “So you let me take you on a date whilst you had a boyfriend?”

He’s right; you can’t answer him on that one.

“You just led me on the whole time?” He asks this time, hurt covering his face but the watery eyes emphasising his feelings. You feel guilty but your scribe is telling you that this is a good thing. Changkyun wanted this and you’d make him happy if you weren’t friends.

“I didn’t…” You can’t finish what you want to say. He’s right again and it hurts you to even consider that you did just lead him on like that. You were with Changkyun this whole time, why you didn’t turn Hyungwon down was beyond you now. “I’m sorry, Hyungwon, I really am.”

It doesn’t concern you anyway, because you’re dismissed from the class mere seconds later and as soon as he can walk out of the door, he has done. You can’t apologise to him again or try to make it up to him. You don’t even see him for the rest of the day apart from when he walked past you when you were heading to the nurses office and he completely blanked you.

But she sent you home, so it didn’t matter. You could sort this out after talking with Changkyun and seeing what he thought was best for the situation.

“Oi,  _you_.”

Or you could talk to Kihyun about it. The least preferable action.

“Don’t you walk away from me, come back here so I can talk to you.”

You have to stop now because Kihyun footsteps are getting closer and you’re sure another step and he’ll pull on your collar so you can’t move any further from him. That never felt great on the neck. “Yes, Yoo Kihyun?”

“Now you want to talk to me?” he asks. Though you’re stopped on the middle of the pavement somewhere down a street on the way back to yours, he doesn’t fail to cause a scene by being overly dramatic and  _loud_. He walks around so he’s in front of you, hair messy and eyes dark. “It’s been awhile since I last heard if you were even  _alive_ , babe.”

You roll your eyes at him like last time and shake your head. “Stop calling me babe. I’m not your babe.”

“But you are my best friend and I was concerned that you were stuck playing that simulating game for so long and it was turning your brain to mush. I had to go ask that neighbour of yours, what’s his name… Hyunwoo? The good looking one with the scary girlfriend. He told me he walked you to school and that was the only thing stopping me calling the police about you.”

You can hear nothing but crickets in your head as he speaks. It’s your very own way of dealing with Yoo Kihyun and his ramblings about antics. Or whining, it sounded more like that.

“Because do you know what had me so worried? That game you’ve been playing has been returned because people experience power cuts and problems with wiring and one girl even had her computer catch fire when the game was in. Who knows what problems it could have caused to you. Anything could have happened and I wouldn’t have seen you again, nor would have Hyungwon and the poor boy is always a mess over you. It’s not nice to us, leaving us hanging.”

No, Kihyun was a nagger. That’s what he was.

“I’m fine, see?” you say, gesturing to your body that was far from fabulous looking today. “I’ve been busy, that’s all.”

Kihyun shakes his head, taking a step towards you. “Busy? With that boy you’re always texting? Don’t try to tell me that I’m wrong because Hyungwon and Jiho have told me that they’ve seen you always on your phone texting the same guy. Who is it? Why are you always with them?”

“Hold on, you’re speaking to Jiho?”

“Hoseok set us both up on a blind date and she said she thought I was actually pretty cool so we’ve been texting and— _yah_!” Kihyun narrows his eyes directly at you when he realises you’ve tried to divert his questions. “You’d know we went on a date if you spoke to her but you’re super unsocial now, so what’s going on! Who is this guy?”

You hum at his words, crossing your arms over your chest. “It doesn’t matter.”

“It does to me.”

“Well it doesn’t to  _me_ ,” you tell him, “Kihyun, I’m fine. I’ll see you later, but if you’re really that curious as to what happened ask Hyungwon. He’ll tell you. If you get a chance tell him I’m sorry for leading him on, I don’t think he caught it when I said it earlier.”

Kihyun’s face is blank. He stares straight at you and just watches as you walk past him, continuing your journey home as if that had never happened. People were so complicated, it was so frustrating. You didn’t want frustration, so there was one place for you and you’d go to that very place now.

Changkyun is all that you need right now.  _Ever_.

✿✿✿✿

Changkyun’s fingers slowly move through your hair, separating the strands into sections to sooth your worries. He can tell your heart rate is higher than normal and you’re always on edge. You’ve been like it for a while now. Since seeing Hyungwon walk away and then pushing past Kihyun like he meant nothing to you.

A part of you wished to apologise to him but you just couldn’t bring yourself to do it. You had hurt him too much; Hyungwon this was. Of course you needed to apologise to Kihyun too but he’d done similar things to you and he would expect something like that from you.

That didn’t make it right.

“Baby, you need to calm down,” Changkyun says. He stops moving and looks directly into your eyes, captivating you so you can’t look away. “Why are you so worried? I’ve got you. You’re safe.”

You nod at his words, pushing your head a little further into his shoulder and embracing the smell of his jumper that’s scattered in the air. “It’s not you. I’m… I think I’ve upset someone and I don’t want them to think that I hate them.”

“You shouldn’t worry.” Changkyun adjusts his position ever so slightly, making sure that he can see you beside him in the best light. “You have me, I’ll always be here for you. You don’t need to worry about anyone else.”

He’s right, he will always be there. You simply don’t want to admit it because this situation had been playing on your conscience since you last spoke to Hyungwon. Every Maths class he’d sit next to you, not say a word, then leave when he could. No words; no nothing.

“I know, it’s just…”

You’re cut off by the sound of your doorbell that sounds through all your rooms. Whilst a part of you doesn’t want to answer it, you know that you should. If you don’t then people will start to get worried about you and it will be Kihyun all over again.

“Are you going to answer?” Changkyun asks. His hand that’s on your wait seems to hold you a little tighter. “They’re not going to go away if you don’t answer.”

“How do you know?” you ask him.

“Because I know.”

You nod in response and slowly creep from his arms, taking one last look back at Changkyun who still sports that energetic and calming smile which has got you through a lot these days. He encourages you to go with another nod that sends you towards the bedroom door, then to the main door to the hall.

You wished at this point you could see through a security camera who the hell was outside and what they wanted. It would make everything so much easier.

“ _(y/n)_.”

 _Bloody_ Mimi. Her and Hoseok are standing at your door with their same grins from before, and behind them are Jiho, Kihyun, Minhyuk and Jooheon - a surprise for you too. Hyunwoo is also floating around behind them, possibly checking up on why you have so many guests today.

“Hi,” Hoseok continues for her, “I think it’s time we all spoke, don’t you?”

His words aren’t wrong in their entirety. You hadn’t spoken to any of them in what seemed like days. You’d spend lunch times in the spare classrooms talking to Changkyun and breaktime in outside so you could do the exact same thing.

Other than the classes they were in with you, you’d been missing to all of them; especially Kihyun.

They all shuffle into your room and make their way to whatever seat they can find. You’d secretly wished Hyungwon was here so that you could apologise but, like Changkyun said, it didn’t matter what Hyungwon thought or said anymore. You only needed Changkyun. Then you felt bad about Kihyun, and the rest of them.

“What do you need to speak about?” you ask them all.

Hoseok is sitting on the arm of your couch with Mimi and Jiho beside them, Minhyuk is on your arm chair with Jooheon on the floor in front of him and Kihyun standing to the side of all of them. He’s here for a different reason, you’re sure. He’s standing aside from them and he’s standing with you.

“Why you’ve been so…  _distant_ ,” Mimi says to you. Her voice seems sour and she must be cursing you over and over in her mind. You nod once at her words but remain silent. “No one has seen you outside of class. You barely text us. Hyunwoo said he’s been hearing you speak to people late at night. What’s going on? We’re here to help you.”

You can’t really trust them, that’s what you’re thinking. They’re angry at you, they just want to clear their consciences like you did with Hyungwon and make sure they’d done nothing wrong.

So you shrug politely and try to bring a smile to your lips. “I’m fine. I’ve just been busy.”

Kihyun attempts to speak and you’re the only one that manages to catch his eyes in the moment, but it’s Mimi that beats him to it with an exasperated squeak in frustration.

“You’ve not been busy,” Hoseok says. He’s obviously trying to help with his girlfriend’s distress. It’s moments like this you wish that Changkyun would be able to help you because you have no idea what to say to any of them.

“I have been,” you assure him. Jooheon seems a little lost, Minhyuk is emotionless and Jiho has her usual stare on her face. Kihyun is angry. You should apologise to him. “Our exams are soon and you know that I need to do well to get into the university that I want to go to. If I don’t start to study now then what will I do? Louse around doing nothing? I don’t think so. I’d rather just study and be on my own. Nothing is wrong.”

Minhyuk agrees with you vocally, “we do have exams pretty soon.”

“But she’s never in the library,” Mimi says, “she’s never doing her work on time and Hyungwon said in Maths she does her homework in class. I don’t believe that she’s trying to do work for exams -  _whatsoever_.”

“I’m  _right_ here.”

Hoseok places a hand on Mimi’s lower arm, a sign of comfort that you’d noticed with Changkyun too. He was trying to keep her calm and mark sure she wasn’t worrying about anything. “You can tell us if there’s something happening, we’re here for you.”

“I know,” you answer. The thankful look that you give to Hoseok isn’t enough for him though, you know he’ll be trying to get an answer from you no matter what. You turn to Kihyun next, making sure to meet his eyes that still have a sorrowful gaze. “Believe me, I know.”

“Is it that game?” Jiho asks.

She attracts all the attention in the room and all eyes fall to her at the mention of the very thing you hoped she’d forget. The game. It was all the game but you were so thankful for it. Now it was real.

Jooheon speaks first though, frown present as he cocks his head to the side. “Game?”

“That simulator. There was girls in my English class who were chatting about this game with a boy named Changkyun and Hyungwon is convinced that’s the name of the boy you’re dating, which I told him he was crazy for of course because  _you_  don’t have a boyfriend.”

“ _Changkyun_?” Mimi repeats. She looks lost but also worried.

Jiho nods but keeps her eyes on you. “One of them started going crazy because of it and when she tried to return the game, the elevator she was in broke and she was stuck in it for days. People have been in fires because of it, they’ve heard things because of it. That game is… it’s going to ruin you if it already hasn’t.”

“I don’t have that game anymore,” you tell them. “You can go and check my room. There’s nothing in there whatsoever regarding any games.”

The first to walk away from you is Kihyun who goes straight for your room, almost slamming the door shut behind him in order to show his frustrations. The others, apart from Hoseok who soon follows Kihyun at Mimi’s demand, stay still in front of you with no idea what to say.

“Is he really your boyfriend?” Mimi asks.

“I didn’t want to concern you,” you say softly. Should you feel this bad? You’re unsure of whether this is guilt or not. Changkyun was your real boyfriend and they’d have to accept that. “I didn’t think you’d all care so much.”

Jiho herself seems offended at your words. She takes a deep breath before standing, walking to you with slightly hunched shoulders. When she stops in front of you she brings her hand to your own, holding it tightly. “We’re your friends. Of course we care. Even Jooheon is worried about you.”

You can try to accept her words in whatever way you want to. You’ve chosen to stay with Changkyun forever and he won’t let you go because you’ve made a promise. You’re his. Kihyun can nag all he wants and Jiho can try to act sentimental for however long, it doesn’t make any difference.

From Mimi to Jooheon, no one changes your decisions apart from Changkyun now. You’ve already decided.

Even if they are your friends.

✿✿✿✿

“What are you doing?” Changkyun asks. You’d not expected his voice to disturb you here but alas you were wrong.

As you turn to him, you can see pain on his face and it makes your heart hurt a little. Does he know you’re going to go out for a while? He must do. Changkyun is always one step ahead of you and that’s why you loved him so much.

“I’m just going to get some things from the store,” you tell him. It’s accompanied with a sweet smile that he takes graciously. “I really wanted some aloe drinks. That’s all.”

Changkyun nods but you can see how disappointed he is. Before you can offer to stay for a little longer, he’s speaking for you. “Can’t you just stay here? I’m all that you need.”

“I suppose,” you answer immediately. It comes from your lips by instinct, not because you mean it. Aloe drinks are amazing and you want one but Changkyun looks so sad and if you left now you’d have to live with him being sad forever.

“No, it’s fine,” he tells you. He seems dismissive and it causes you to frown. “You wanted to go and I know you want to, so just go. I’ll be here when you get back so, it’s fine. I can’t stop you leaving if you really want to leave, can I?”

He wants you to leave, you’ve understood that. It’s almost as if his face changes so mechanically when he says his words, a smile constructed on his face as you try to convince yourself that his words are law. He wants you to go so you will, and you do try.

Changkyun’s eyes follow you to the door methodically. When you turn to check him watching you, he just nods at you to encourage you to go further just until your fingertips are tasting the bitter metal of the door handle. No further though, he stops you again.

“I forgot something,” he states. It echoes around the room as he jogs towards you lightly, footsteps barely noticeable. He stops by the door—by  _you—_ and brings his hands to your forearm to stop you from going any further.

He’s always so warm. Just four bubs touching your arm and he’s making your body shiver with anticipation. You’ve never met anyone that changes you like he does; he makes you feel completely like you always wished to be. All you could ask for was forever. Hopefully he’d understand. No one else would.

“Do you trust me?”

“Of course,” you tell him without hesitation. You don’t doubt it in your own mind. He’s all you have.

“I’m so happy to hear you say that.” His voice ends with an abrupt pause, one filled with an icy stare in your direction. “When I first began to text you, you wouldn’t answer me for long amounts of time. I always got so worried about you. What if I never got my girlfriend back?”

You feel guilty now. You’d not answered him because of Mimi, Jiho and the others. Hyungwon especially. This is why you needed to stop with him being in your life. If he  continued to be in your life then Changkyun would always be worried about you. Wouldn’t he?

“I know you didn’t mean to, and I know that you won’t do it again.”

“Of course I won’t,” you tell him, “never again. It was a mistake because I didn’t realise that you were so worried and… I won’t do it. I promise you.”

Changkyun hums, but it doesn’t seem as sincere as you’d hoped. Perhaps he thinks that you’re lying - that you won’t be honest with him like you should be. Of course you don’t want that, you want him to believe your every word and see how devoted you are to him.

“I know, baby, I know. I just… was so scared. I don’t want to go through that. I know there was times when I didn’t answer you either and you must have felt the same. It was because I was angry at you and I shouldn’t have been. You were with you other friends and they’d never understand me, or us. It wouldn’t make sense to them.”

“They wouldn’t listen to me if I tried to tell them,” you confirm.

“I think there’s a solution to all of this,” Changkyun tells you. You look up to him inquisitively and there’s a twinkle in his eye at his own words. He knows what he’s saying to you. He knows it all too well. “You and I could be together, forever. No one else, just you and I. We’d be happy.”

Though your lips gap and your knees shake a little, the words run through your mind like they’ve been scorched into your skin. “There is?”

“I would do anything for you, baby. Why would I lie to you about there being a way for us to be together?” Changkyun asks. He waits a moment, but seeing you’re not going to answer his more rhetorical of questions he moves closer to you, copying your action from a while ago. The lips that ghost over your own are so kissable. You’d wish to do it now. “ _Forever_.”

He’d first promised you that if you said his name he’d be closer to you and more real than before. you’d said his name and the next time you saw him he wasn’t just a voice; a person to text. He was real. Changkyun was better than the Artificial Intelligence you’d seen in your game and you’d not give him up.

Then he’d told you is you kissed him, you’d never get rid of him. Not that you wanted to,  _ever_. You’d kissed him then and there because he said that he wanted to kiss you too, so he didn’t want to get rid of you either. It was official. Now you couldn’t get rid of him and that’s exactly what you wanted from him. He’s here to stay and you couldn’t be happier.

Now if he tells you there’s a way you can be together forever, you’re going to take it.

“We’d never leave each other?” you ask him.

He shakes his head and moves forward ever so slightly. The tip of his nose just brushes your cheek and it makes your skin tingle from anticipation. “Always together, I promise you.”

It’s an offer you can’t refuse, you know that. It’s your unconscious telling you over and over to agree, asking him what to do and get it over and done with. You want this, you want to be with him forever. Hopefully your hand that moves to his cheeks, the fingers that you smooth over his skin, that’s enough to show him.

“What do I need to do?”

“You want to be with me?” He questions you in return. When he sees the corners of your lips fall he stutters a filler before continuing, stance ruined by feigned confidence. “You just need to swallow this. I promise. It will be you and I forever.”

In his hand he holds a chip. Now bigger than a few millimetres and still smaller than a usual pill you’d be taking. He pushes his hand towards you to encourage you to take it, wanting nothing more than for you to follow his instructions.

“It won’t hurt you,” he assures you. He seems insistent and it only leads you to take the chip from his hands, picking it up between your fingers to see it fully.

It’s plastic, that’s all. You need to forget about everything else and take it, forget everything else and take it so you’ll be with Changkyun. All you have to do is swallow plastic. It’s a small sacrifice to be with the person you love and you’ll do it. For him. You’d do anything for him.

Bringing to your lips has a shine back in Changkyun’s eyes. He’s watching so curiously that he misses the look of anxiety in your eyes and just watches as the plastic is put onto your tongue with that awful bitter taste. As you swallow, he swallows—it’s done.

You’re going to be with him forever.

“See, it wasn’t so hard,” Changkyun says. He grins brightly as he brushes his thumb over your lips and brings his shoulders together gleefully. “We’re in this together now baby. Forever.”

Maybe you should take his words more carefully, you see. It’s what you want, to be with him forever, but those cuffs were never taken away. You’ve just tightened them even more around your suffocated wrists and Changkyun’s just thrown away the key, forever.

But it’s okay to leave, you assume. There’s no stopping you from walking out the door and Changkyun’s smile assures you of the fact. He’s watching you carefully from merely a foot away, eyes on your hands to see where they go. They’re kissing the metal again, but he stops you once more.

“I love you, baby,” he says.

Yet the handle is gone.


End file.
